Picasso, Pablo. Françoise, Claude et Paloma, c. 1951. 

Julia Azzouz

Creative Writing

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist…”

• Pablo Picasso

Narratives constructed from ambulating plastic figurines, wax crayon drawings pasted to the fridge, clumsy dances to the static sound of the radio; these childhood memories are inherently imbued with a sense of creativity. All children seek entertainment, stimulation, and beauty through their senses through a natural primal human instinct. Artistic sensibility is not some genetic anomaly particular to certain “gifted” people. Rather, I would argue that it is an innate trait of the human species; a fire that either gets fueled or extinguished over time. An individual will prioritize or demean the arts according to personal circumstance, shaped by the capitalist emphasis on profit and the accompanying conceptual opposition of logic and emotion.

• A person’s development is almost entirely based on their environment. Though genetics play a role in how one constructs their intellectual, social, and emotional skills, the familial, educational, socio-economic, and cultural frameworks occupy an even greater role in the construction of character. In a home where art is actively valued, with paintings hanging on the walls, books being read every night before bed, music perpetually playing in the background, a child is more likely to find value and fulfillment in consuming and creating art. However, access to artistic resources is limited. Not every family can afford regular museum trips or visits to the cinema. Although it is not necessary to be wealthy to indulge in the arts, it certainly provides an advantage. As a result, children of financially secure households tend to pursue artistic endeavors or careers because they can afford to do so without the fear of compromising their livelihoods. Karol Jan Borowiecki, an economics professor at the University of Southern Denmark, used American census data to analyze the backgrounds of people in creative fields. By cross examining socioeconomic conditions, race, and gender, Borowiecki’s study found that for every 10, 000$ in family income, a person is 2% more likely to pursue a career in the arts. They may cultivate their curiosity more freely as they have a support net to fall back on unlike others who must sacrifice their financial security and quality of life in favor of creative pursuits.

In a system where profit rules, the artist is often perceived as a frivolous eccentric character set apart from the norm, who goes beyond the pursuit of monetary gain to express the intangible in tangible form. Instead of being acclaimed as a product of society, creatives exist within their own separate structure, either revered or condemned. Thus, the artist must be willing to take risks in various aspects of their lives. Integrity, dignity, privacy, stability, and comfort are put on the line, sometimes to the detriment of one’s image and mental health. Being creative beyond childhood is inevitably followed by judgement, whether it is from within or without. It is difficult to confront and redefine traditional ideas of success, self-worth, and work in an environment prescribing strict guidelines to life. 

To be an artist is to connect with oneself as well as with the greater unifying principles of the world. It is to defy convention and pragmatism, to be a vehicle for ideas and emotions. If you look up the word “emotion”, you will find that its synonyms are “passion” and “intuition” with the word “intellect” as its antonym. This erroneous opposition situates creativity, which is partly founded on the raw expression of sentiment, as an unintelligent quality. The added fact of its omnipresence in our early years of development further encourages the view of art as “childlike”. However, wouldn’t the continual forging of an intuitive skill speak to the artist’s wisdom? Indeed, pursuing and recontextualizing a primal instinct to adapt to the modern gaze is a radical display of knowledge. Using old techniques to create something new, or using new techniques to emulate something old actively transforms collective opinions, ideas, and modes of life. Think of the clothes you wear, the books you read, the music you listen to. These are all products of a millennia of artistic evolution and constructive creative innovation. It is crucial to understand the impact and sheer necessity of art and to include it within our daily lives in order to satiate our natural desire for beauty and wonder. You don’t have to be a prodigy to satisfy your inner child. Doodle during your commute home, dance in front of your mirror, sing along to karaoke on your computer, write a couple of lines to summarize your day, and you will notice your heart grow fonder of itself and that which surrounds it. There is beauty everywhere if you let yourself see it.